Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs to meet today with federal, BC governments

Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs are scheduled to meet with the federal and provincial governments on Thursday.

The two sides will meet surrounding the topic of a natural gas pipeline project that will be cutting across traditional Wet’suwet’en territory – a topic that has been the source of nationwide solidarity protests, transport blockades and government office stake-outs over the past several weeks.

Yesterday evening, one of those blockades effected traffic in Victoria along the Patricia Bay Highway, as protests occupied the intersection at Mount Newton Cross Road.

Although there were some murmurs that the meeting would possibly be cancelled early this week, Chief Na’Moks says it is going ahead as all sides seek a solution to the pipeline impasse.

Na’Moks, who also goes by John Ridsdale, said government officials have asked the hereditary chiefs to tell their allies and other nations to scale back the protests – something Na’Moks says he can’t do – but he says that exchange was not enough to derail today’s meeting.

The meeting is expected to commence in the afternoon and continue on into Friday.

The Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs have been vocal about their opposition to the pipeline project for quite some time.

A spokesman for the provincial government said confirmation of the discussions won’t come until later today.

With files to the Canadian Press

Editorial Policies Report an Error